Updated: Thursday, September 3, 2026 · Next update: Thursday, September 10, 2026
This Fort Lauderdale fishing report covers early September, when the mullet run reaches Broward County and the inlets come alive. Port Everglades and Hillsboro Inlet hold snook and tarpon on the bait, the reefs give up muttons and yellowtail, and offshore boats pick away at mahi and a few sailfish along the color change. Inlet snook on the mullet are the lead target. Plan around the outgoing tide at the inlets and the tropical outlook. It is one of the best weeks of the year from the beach to the Gulf Stream.
What’s Hitting
The action starts at the inlets. Snook stack on the jetties and seawalls of Port Everglades and Hillsboro, and tarpon roll on the mullet at dawn and again at night. Jacks crash bait all along the beach.
On the reef, mutton snapper are steady in 60 to 120 feet, yellowtail work the chum slicks, and big mangroves sit on the wrecks. Offshore, mahi are scattered, but quality fish hold on the weedlines and rips, with a few sailfish and wahoo mixed in on the edge.
Where to Find Them
The Port Everglades jetties and the Dania Beach pier area hold snook and tarpon on the outgoing tide. Hillsboro Inlet is smaller and fishes well from the beach on either side.
The reef edge from the Hillsboro Lighthouse south to Dania in 80 to 120 feet is the mutton zone. For mahi, run offshore to the 300- to 800-foot line and look for weed, birds and color changes; floating weed shelters baitfish, and mahi patrol underneath it.
Tides & Conditions
Ocean temperatures run in the mid-80s. Outgoing tides at the inlets are the tide for snook and tarpon on the mullet.
On east winds the Gulf Stream pushes in close, which puts the color change and the mahi within easy reach. Early September is the heart of hurricane season, so check the tropical outlook and marine forecast before heading offshore.
Tackle & Tactics
- Inlet snook: a live mullet on a 5/0 circle hook and 40-pound fluorocarbon, upsized for tarpon.
- Night jetties: swimming plugs and flair hawks.
- Muttons: a live pilchard or ballyhoo plug on a knocker rig with 40-pound leader. The sliding sinker rides down to the hook and keeps the bait tight to the bottom.
- Yellowtail: a light rig drifted back in the chum.
- Offshore: ballyhoo on light trolling tackle, with a pitch bait ready for sailfish on the edge.
Local Intel This Week
The 15th Street ramp near Port Everglades is the quick run to the inlet jetties. The Alsdorf Park ramp on the Intracoastal in Pompano Beach is the north-end option for Hillsboro Inlet, the George English Park ramp on the Middle River serves central Fort Lauderdale, and the Cox Landing ramp in Sunrise is an inland launch. Shore anglers can fish the beach on either side of Hillsboro Inlet and the Dania Beach pier area.
Atlantic snook season reopens September 1 with slot, bag and permit requirements, and federal rules apply to pelagic species. Check current FWC and federal regulations and seasons before keeping fish.
This Week’s Tip
Tarpon at the inlet feed on mullet that are pushed by the current, not swimming against it. Drift your bait with the outgoing tide on a slack line rather than anchoring it in place, and you will double your bites.
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